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The legal field is certainly the most exposed to possible disputes and unpleasant consequences caused by an incorrect or inaccurate translation. This is precisely why the market for professional legal translations is constantly growing.
Legal language is full of specific terminology. The presence or absence of a single word in legal texts is capable of modifying the entire document, in some cases going so far as to invalidate its legal value.
Anyone who has to deal with legal documents knows that this sectoral language considerably differs from the language we normally speak. In addition, each jurisdiction is accompanied by its own ‘legal language’, meaning its own formulas, syntax and terminology.
It is therefore clear that mere knowledge of the two languages involved in the translation process is a necessary but totally insufficient condition. This is why at ASTW, our translators are native-speaker legal professionals enrolled in the relevant registers of their countries of residence, or with legal degrees and extensive experience in this field.
WHY DISCUSS PROFESSIONAL LEGAL TRANSLATIONS?
We decided to address the subject of professional legal translations in order to raise awareness of the possible pitfalls that a legal text can contain.
Consider for example a corporate marketing text: if it has a translation error, the consequences will in the worst case scenario damage the company’s image and cause a promotional campaign to have poor results.
It’s certainly not nothing, of course, and it’s precisely to avoid such problems that relying on experienced linguists is always the right solution. However, the weight of these inconveniences may seem small compared to the impact that a translation error can have in the legal field.
The repercussions can be twofold: both economic and legal. In both cases, the seriousness of these errors can lead to complicated situations that are difficult to resolve.
Preemptively ensuring that every legal translation is 100% accurate is not an easy task for less experienced, or worse, non-professional translators. From perfectly drafted documents to complicated negotiations, difficult or unclear documents and problematic contracts, these translations must be done flawlessly. This is why more and more customers are opting for professional legal translations.
The linguist or language service agency to rely on must have a high level of linguistic competence in both the source and target languages, as well as excellent knowledge of the legal system, terminology and culture of both countries. Moreover, the legal terminology used in the two languages can often be vastly different, and the translator must be able to compare both the legal systems and the languages involved.
At ASTW, we guarantee reliability and accuracy in every translation.
Relying on experts is the key to success, in any field.
English translation and adaptation by Sarah Schneider
Photo from Pexels
